Novice
Novices, or Samaneras, are Buddhist youths who are preparing to become monks. The first novice was Buddha’s son Rahula. There are ten rules for the novice. If novices break a rule, they may confess their misdeeds and take a vow that they will not do such an action again. Novices have two duties: they must follow the rules strictly and study the Buddha’s teachings so that they may realize the truth. They may also instruct lay Buddhists. They play an important role in maintaining the Buddhist tradition.